3x1 acquires majority shareholding in rival McGarvie Morrison Media

SCOTTISH public relations firm 3x1 has taken a majority stake in smaller rival McGarvie Morrison Media (MMM) for an undisclosed sum.

The two Glasgow-headquartered businesses will continue to operate independently under separate brands but the deal will see control of MMM handed to 3x1 founders Julie McGarvey and Cameron Grant.

Grant confirmed that he plans to keep on all five members of staff at MMM. One of the original directors, John Morrison, a former BBC Scotland correspondent, left the business in December to start his own PR, public affairs and media training company, Morrison Media Strategies.

MMM founder Lindsay McGarvie, who was political editor at the Sunday Mail before setting out in PR in 2005, will remain with the firm.

McGarvie said: “3x1 is a company that I have admired from my days as a journalist and I am delighted that MMM is to become part of the 3x1 group. This will help to further strengthen MMM, which is great news for our clients.”

Grant and McGarvey started 3x1 in 2001 and the agency was predominantly focused on the West Coast until 2009, when Audrey Cassels was hired to open an Edinburgh office.

Grant would not disclose a price for the controlling stake but said the move would help 3x1 exceed £2 million in turnover this year.

He said: “We’re thrilled to be starting 2012 with a further expansion of our business. 2011 was another positive year as we recorded double-digit growth and this investment will help it to continue with turnover set to exceed £2m in 2012.

“With Lindsay and his team’s public affairs, corporate PR and media training expertise, this acquisition underlines our commitment to being able to provide our clients with the highest-quality service in Scotland and further afield and builds on the launch of our digital, sport and food and drink divisions in 2011.”

3x1, which employs 20 across its two central belt offices, has clients including Highland Spring, Camelot, Macdonald Hotels, soup company Baxters, housebuilder Mactaggart & Mickel and Lothian Buses.

MMM’s clients include IT services provider Atos, drinks giant Diageo, Heriot-Watt University and Lloyds Banking Group.

3x1 was ranked 134th in the latest PR Week “Top 150” league table, behind the Big Partnership at 34 and Smarts at 55. Stripe Communications was the only other indigenous agency listed, ranked 144th in the UK.